Afinitor 5mg Tablet
Product Info
| Prescription required | Yes |
| Marketer | Novartis India Ltd |
| Active Ingredient | Everolimus (5mg) |
| Storage | Store below 30°C |
| Chemical Class | Macrolide Lactams |
| Habit Forming | No |
| Therapeutic Class | ANTI NEOPLASTICS |
| Action Class | Immunosuppressant- mTOR inhibitors |
| User Rating | 4.8 |
| User Reviews | 344 |
FAQ
Is any monitoring required while taking Afinitor 5mg?
Regular monitoring is required while you are on Afinitor 5mg. The doctor will advise blood tests to see the counts of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets since the counts may decrease during treatment with Afinitor 5mg. Also, blood tests will be required to check your kidney function, liver function, blood glucose levels, and cholesterol levels.
What should I avoid while taking Afinitor 5mg?
You should avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking Afinitor 5mg. This is because taking them together may increase the levels of Afinitor 5mg in your blood to harmful levels. Avoid the use of live vaccinations and any possible contact with individuals who have received live vaccinations.
How long can you take Afinitor 5mg?
There is no definite duration of treatment with Afinitor 5mg. Afinitor 5mg is continued till clinical benefit is seen or unacceptable toxicity or side effects occur.
How is Afinitor 5mg administered?
Usually, Afinitor 5mg is taken once or twice daily. The medicine should always either be taken with food or always be taken without food. Afinitor 5mg should be swallowed whole with water and should not be crushed or chewed.
How will I know that Afinitor 5mg is shrinking my brain tumor?
The effect of Afinitor 5mg in shrinking the size of tumor can only be checked by getting regular brain scans. It should be done as advised by your doctor and your treatment plan.
Is Afinitor 5mg a chemotherapy?
Afinitor 5mg is an anticancer medicine. It belongs to kinase inhibitor class of medicines. It works by reducing the blood supply to the tumor, which slows down the growth and spread of cancer cells.
What is the most important information I need to know about Afinitor 5mg?
Afinitor 5mg can cause serious side effects which include severe allergic reactions, angioedema, and kidney failure which can be severe and can lead to death. It is possible that you may develop an infection or problems related to lung such as breathing problems.
Is Afinitor 5mg cytotoxic?
Yes, Afinitor 5mg is cytotoxic against human cancer cells of breast, stomach, prostate, and kidneys (renal cell carcinoma).
Afinitor 5mg Tablet Reviews
Afinitor 5mg is used for the prevention of organ rejection in transplant patients. It regulates the body’s immune response, so the body can accept the new organ. It is also used in combination with other medicines to treat cancers of breast, pancreas, lungs, and kidney.
Afinitor 5mg must be taken in a dose and duration as per the prescription. It can be taken with or without food but make sure to take it at about the same time every day. An overdose of this medicine may have serious side effects on the body.
The common side effects of this medicine include infection, fever, cough, fatigue, diarrhea, and upper respiratory infection. If any of the side effects persist or bother you, consult the doctor immediately. Inform the doctor immediately if you experience any allergic reactions (rash, shortness of breath, coughing, swelling, etc.). Always seek medical advice if you have increased thirst or increased frequency of urination, suffer from shortness of breath, cough or fever, or need to receive any vaccination after taking this medication.
Before taking this medicine, it is important to consult your doctor if you have any ongoing medication for any underlying disease. Pregnant and breastfeeding women must inform the doctor prior to the initiation of this treatment. During the treatment, your doctor may advise you for some laboratory tests to know the effects of the medicine in the body. It may affect male or female fertility, so consult the doctor if you are planning to have a child.
How Afinitor 5mg Tablet Works
Afinitor 5mg suppresses the activity of body's immune system and prevents rejection of the transplanted organ.
How to Use Afinitor 5mg Tablet
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Afinitor 5mg may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
Benefits of Afinitor 5mg Tablet
- In Prevention of organ rejection in transplant patients: Afinitor 5mg is used with other medications to prevent organ transplant rejection. Rejection usually happens due to attack by the immune system of the person receiving the transplanted organ on the transplant itself, in people who are receiving any organ transplants, like kidney, liver, heart etc. This medicine reduces the activity of a person's own immune system and prevents any such rejection.
Uses of Afinitor 5mg Tablet
- Prevention of organ rejection in transplant patients
Afinitor 5mg Tablet Side Effects
Safety Tips
Liver
CAUTION
Afinitor 5mg should be used with caution in patients with liver disease. Dose adjustment of Afinitor 5mg may be needed. Please consult your doctor.Use of Afinitor 5mg is not recommended in patients with severe liver disease.
Kidney
SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
Afinitor 5mg is safe to use in patients with kidney disease. No dose adjustment of Afinitor 5mg is recommended.
Alcohol
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
It is not known whether it is safe to consume alcohol with Afinitor 5mg. Please consult your doctor.
Pregnancy
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Afinitor 5mg is unsafe to use during pregnancy as there is definite evidence of risk to the developing baby. However, the doctor may rarely prescribe it in some life-threatening situations if the benefits are more than the potential risks. Please consult your doctor.
Driving
UNSAFE
Afinitor 5mg may cause side effects which could affect your ability to drive.As fatigue is a common side effect with Afinitor 5mg and this may affect your ability to drive
Breast feeding
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Afinitor 5mg is probably unsafe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug may pass into the breastmilk and harm the baby.
Quick Tips
- While you are taking Afinitor 5mg do not take any vaccinations without talking to your doctor first.
- Afinitor 5mg may affect male or female fertility; consult your doctor if you are planning to have a child.
- Afinitor 5mg is given for the treatment of certain cancers and to prevent organ transplant rejection.
- If you are having an operation or dental treatment, always tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking Afinitor 5mg.
- Inform your doctor straight away if you think you are getting a sore throat or if you have a high temperature. This is because Afinitor 5mg increases your risk of getting an infection.
- Do not drink grapefruit juice while you are taking this medicine. This is because a chemical in grapefruit juice can interfere with the action of Afinitor 5mg.
References
- Krensky AM, Bennett WM, Vincenti F. Immunosuppressants, Tolerogens, and Immunostimulants. In: Brunton LL, Chabner BA, Knollmann BC, editors. Goodman & Gilman’s: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2011. p. 1013.
- CiplaMed. Tacrolimus [Prescribing Information]. [Last Updated: 17 May 2021].
- Everolimus. Camberley, Surrey: Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd.; 2011 [revised 12 Jul 2018].
- Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. p. 526.
- Everolimus [Prescribing Information]. Berkeley Heights: Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.; 2023.
- Everolimus. East Hanover, New Jersey: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; 2009 [revised Apr. 2018].